Arsène Wenger dismisses suggestions that Thomas Vermaelen and Wojciech Szczesny could be set for an Arsenal exit

Arsène Wenger has dismissed suggestions that Thomas Vermaelen and Wojciech Szczesny could be set for an Arsenal exit after they were rested for Wednesday’s clash at Bayern Munich.

Wenger’s decision to drop the pair raised eyebrows ahead of the 2-0 win at the Allianz Arena, with reports suggesting they could be on their way to an Emirates Stadium exit.

But the Gunners boss has played down the significance of his decision ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Swansea City on Saturday.

“They are two outstanding players who are part of our squad,” Wenger told a news conference. “They have played so many games until now. Their position is very important in the squad.

“All the players are in the same position: nobody is guaranteed a place in the team. When you go into this job, you know you have competition.

“Everybody faces the same competition and the players who have come in have been on the bench for a long, long time. They all have the same problem. The job of being a top-level competitor is to deal with that.

“Every position is up for grabs. You have to face it like that. The last game decides the next one.”